Solutions Not Sides

Last Friday we welcomed the organisation Solutions not Sides into school to speak to some of our Year 10 RE students and Sixth Form RE/History students.

The programme is run by the charity One Voice Europe and provided an amazing insight into the real lives and struggles of Palestinians and Israelis living with the conflict.

During the two 2 hour sessions, the students were introduced to Hamutal (Israeli) and Hoda (Palestinian) who talked about their childhoods, their families, their home towns and how so many aspects of their lives have always been overshadowed or controlled by the conflict.

Both Hoda and Hamutal have very different experiences and ‘different truths’ but believe their path of non-violence empowers and can bring about change which would benefit both sides.

The interests of each side was discussed and our students were then asked to attempt to decide on a solution which would work equally in both sides favour. Our students really engaged with the process and some found their preconceptions and stereotypes challenged by this humanised version of the conflict.

Our students asked both speakers questions about their beliefs, thoughts on Zionism and their decision to tackle the problem in a different way to their families and friends.